Bryce Harper says he is not jealous the Washington Nationals reached the World Series in their first season without him. He says he is genuinely happy so his former team, but he still happy for his decision to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I made the best decision for my family,” Harper said in an interview with The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. “And I am so happy to be in Philly. It’s the place that I wanted to be…You know, jealousy isn’t good. For me, it’s about having the gratitude to go out and do what I do each day and not having an attitude towards anybody else.
“I think it’s about being able to be the person that I am… and not saying to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m not a National.’ Or, ‘Oh my gosh, those guys are doing what they’re doing. I can’t believe it. I’m so jealous.’ No. I’m so happy for them. You know how hard it is to get into the post-season and win games. For them to be able to put it together this year the way they have, it’s an amazing thing.”
Harper spent seven seasons with the Nationals after the club selected him first overall in the 2010 draft. He signed a $330 million deal with the Phillies ahead of Spring Training, after negotiations with the Nationals fell off.
Harper had a strong individual season hitting 35 home runs and a career-high 114 RBIs. However, he had career-worst 178 strikeouts and his walks dropped from 130 in 2018 with the Nationals to 99 this season with the Phillies.
Meanwhile, the Nationals turned around a 19-31 start to the season into reaching the World Series. They eliminated Harper and the Phillies from postseason contention in the final week of the season as well.
The Nationals had never advanced past the NLDS with Harper. Harper admits he has been watching the Nationals’ magical run in October, because he has no hard feelings and wants to cheer on his former teammates.
“I’ve been watching a lot of it,” he said. “Those are the guys I played with and came through the organization with … I wish them nothing but the best. And that’s real. I have no hard feelings toward them, or (general manager) Mike Rizzo, or anything like that.
“You know, they’re a great team. And that’s why they are where they are.”
Bryce Harper also doesn’t have any ill feelings to fans who have trolled him with mock-ups of his former Nationals jersey.
“I mean, they bought the jerseys,” Harper said, laughing. “It’s over. I wear No. 3 now. And I play for the Philadelphia Phillies – you know what I’m saying? I appreciate them supporting me before and buying those jerseys. But now they can do whatever they want with them. They’re all theirs.”
